This invention relates to controlied atmosphere equipment, such as, but not limited to, cabinets as used extesrively in microbiology laboratories, and whether of anaerobic or other prescribed or prescribable atmosphere type.
We are particularly interested in entry/exit lock provisions for loading and unloading purposes, typically as units associatable with such cabinet(s) and thus intendedly also having prescribable maintained internal atmosphere different from ambient. Suitable such lock unit(s) require two controlled access means, both operable alternately for sealing and communicating one relative to the cabinet and referred co herein as inner access means, and the other relative to the outside world and referred to herein as outer access means.; also atmosphere control means operable for achieving internal atmosphere conditions acceptable relative to, normally substantially matching, what is prescribed for the cabinet.
Some aspects of this invention have particular relevance to such inner access means, typically of a powered nature, preferably with one or more of actuator means operable manually from within an associated cabinet and/or from outside the lock unit ead/or cabinet; and/or inter-relation of powering for movement of inner door means and of sealing means; and/or inter-relation of holding door means against movement in certain circumstances, such as any failure or deficieney as to powering and/or internal atmosphere and/or sealing conditions; and/or movement and sealing both being by pressuriged fluid means, conveniently gas of or involved in prescribed atmosphere.
Suitable inner door means can be of a sliding nature, say, and advantageously, with up-and-down movnement for open (up) and closed (down) states. Powering of such sliding movement can, with advantage, be by gas from a compressed sras cylinder. Sealing may be by resilient, feasibly flexible tubular, strip along or adjacent to edges of the door as such on one side, say with operation by inflatable bellows type means on the other side of the door. Closing (lower as above) edge of the door pref erably displaces resilient abutmant.
Preferred sliding door embodiments of inner access provisions are well-suited to implementation in double-skinned cavity wall structures, whether to either or both of opposite sides of a generally cuboid casing, or to a side opposite provision of outer access means, or both or all. Indeed, a considerable degree of modular type of standardisation may be provided by way of options as to parts of such wall structures being apertured or not.
Our PCT application No PCT/GB95/02369. (published WO 96/11092) relates, inter alia, to a generally modular cabinet system, of which one module can be an entry/exit lock unit able to communicate with cabinets to either side. thus suited to using ebodiments of this invention.
Other aspects of this invention have relevance to loading and unloading aids, including stackable trays for sample stacks above storage for ancillary materiaes etc; and/or interlock provisions for the outer access means, such as preventing opening of its inner and/or outer door means, even manually, in certain aberrant system conditions, whether of internal atmosphere or door moving/sealing power supply or other operational fault.